‹ Monday, August 3, 2009 ›

Brush lines

To me the ocean of art out there is overwhelming. That's why I focus on animation, not that there isn't a lot of animation out there. But I feel I can at least keep some grasp on it. That's why I rarely talk about artists or manga or whatever. But I have immense respect for the people out there who can wrangle line to create something beautiful with an air of nonchalance. When I see a beautiful line I often think I'd like to see it move. I ran across Freddy Nadolny Poustochkine's lines today and delighted in them. These are the kinds of drawings I enjoy gazing at - quick but instinctive and not labored, with a soft suppleness and lightness of touch, an international spirit, stories that are just open-ended idea bubbles. I like how there is French occasionally, Vietnamese occasionally, Japanese occasionally, etc. And the spare use of orange but otherwise black and shades of gray. I actually find myself more attracted to the manga sensibility of the French. That reminds me, Dogs & Water was wonderful. I'd like to see stories like that told in animation.